Turmeric Cordial: For When You Want to Spice Up Your Spirits Shelf

Von Humboldts Turmeric Cordial with Fresh Tumeric

If you were with us earlier in the year, we wrote about how turmeric was going to be one of the trending ingredients in cocktails this year, moving beside ginger as something to imbue spiciness while also, purportedly, producing various health benefits. It only makes sense, then, that a company would eventually produce alcohol flavored primarily with turmeric (though, realistically, this product was in development long before we wrote about turmeric being the new “in” thing).

Von Humboldt’s Natur Wasser Turmeric Cordial, produced by Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile (they’re responsible for some of the sips on our Shotsgiving post each of the past two years), is named after the explorer Alexander Von Humboldt, a man who, ironically, never visited India, one of the primary regions where turmeric is grown and used in food, medicine, and more.

[Sidenote before the review: can we take a moment to appreciate just how explorer-y this guy’s name is?]

Appearance: Golden yellow. For those from the Northeast, this would be, I’d like to think, known as Inca Cola yellow.

Nose: Overall, very much gin-like. Citrusy notes in the form of lime (one of the added ingredients) and coriander come through more than the turmeric root itself. The neutral grain spirits present a slight burn as well.

Palate: Again, this is very gin-like in its creation. A hint of sweetness on the front (sugar was added to help balance the flavor), there are also herbaceous notes throughout, and these are backed by hints of spice and, of course, the turmeric flavor you’ll know from your go-to at the local Indian place, Chicken Tikka Masala.

Finish: Flavor-wise, somewhat of a short finish. The herbal notes fade and are replaced by a back-end spiciness. The warmth on the end lingers.

Final Thoughts: This cordial is really interesting, in that not only does it incorporate the gin-like elements I wrote about above, but it also could very easily be consumed straight as a digestif, as you would with something like Fernet or Campari. It works well in cocktails, too, to spice them up (I particularly enjoyed it in a Bloody Mary). Not an every day drink, but definitely something to have on your shelf for when you’re feeling creative.

Von Humboldt’s Natur Wasser Turmeric Cordial is 40% ABV and retails for $39.99.

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